Pre-event nutrition can have a major effect on performance. Players diet should be HIGH IN CARBOHYDRATES, LOW IN FAT. The target is 60-70% carbohydrate, 10-15% protein. This is a very important meal as the main energy reserves are made up from the previous days meals, not from the pre-game meal or big breakfast of the competition day.

On most competition days the breakfast is the pre-game meal. The pre-game meal offers very little for the energy production system however, it can do much damage if the wrong foods are consumed.

It has been suggested that the player enter the game with stomach as empty as possible. When there is food in the stomach, the heart pumps large volumes of blood to the stomach to aid in digestion. If playing or practicing, however, the blood is shunted to the working muscles, therefore stopping the digestive process. This often causes stomach cramps and gas, making the player very uncomfortable.

Items recommended for breakfast the day of a competition are:

Drinks

Meal Items

Snacks

Apple Juice

Orange Juice

Vegetable Juice

Fruit Juice

Water

Hot Chocolate

Milk

Bagels

Raisin Bran

Toast, 2-3 slices

Yogurt

Muffin, Bran - Oatmeal

Pancakes (low butter / syrup)

Bread, all varieties

Fruit bars

Fig Newtons

Fruit - fresh or dried

Raisins

Banana

AVOID:

Fat:

- Bacon, sausage, excess butter / margarine etc.

Fried Foods:

If lunch is a pre-game meal please refer to the pre-game section. The pre-game meal offers very little for the energy production system however, it can do much damage if the wrong foods are consumed. It has been suggested that the player enter the game with stomach as empty as possible. When there is food in the stomach, the heart pumps large volumes of blood to the stomach to aid in digestion. If playing or practicing, however, the blood is shunted to the working muscles, therefore stopping the digestive process. This often causes stomach cramps and gas, making the player very uncomfortable. Items recommended for lunch the day of a competition are:

AVOID:

Fat:

Fried Foods:

During a Competition

The GOAL:

An empty stomach and gastrointestinal tract, but enough fuel for the muscles and enough food
to prevent hunger.

A settled stomach and a confident athlete.

A well hydrated, comfortable athlete.

Why?:
So that the blood will go to the working muscles, not the
digestive organs.Because muscles rely primarily on fuel
stored from meals eaten in the days before the competition.
Food eaten on the day of the game fuels the brain and keeps
the muscles topped up when the competition is long or intermittent.
So that pre-competition nerves don′t upset the stomach.